


Extra Arm

by Neon_Morphile



Category: Bandom, Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Bodyguard, Gang War, Gun Violence, Gun Wound, I'm Bad At Tagging, M/M, Mafia AU, Mild Language, Protective Josh Dun, Snipers, but im going to add another chapter, gang boss tyler, joshler - Freeform, mild violence, this is meant to be a one shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-28
Updated: 2019-05-07
Packaged: 2019-10-18 09:26:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17578241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neon_Morphile/pseuds/Neon_Morphile
Summary: Tyler is the head of Columbus' mafia branch, and Josh is his bodyguard.While Tyler is indifferent about his safety, Josh is hypersensitive about it.





	1. Watch Out

**Author's Note:**

> This was a requested au by my friend, and it certainly isn't the best quality I can offer.   
> I decided to upload it anyway. One more chapter about to be added!

“You don’t need to follow me literally _everywhere_ , Dun,” Tyler sighed, fixing his black leather jacket on himself as he passed by a red-haired man standing like an anxious shadow in front of the car door. Clearly, Joshua Dun had no intention of leaving his side despite being dismissed multiple times---which were more like pleas. The guy nevertheless obstinately insisted that Tyler should be accompanied by him at all times regardless of where he went, because, well,

“Sir, please don’t forget that Urie’s men are still after you. And I’m your bodyguard.”

“I can protect myself for five minutes, alright? I’m armed,” he revealed the pistol hidden under his jacket to prove his point, though he knew too well that it wouldn’t stop the zealous young man from following him around like an unduly loyal dog.

“Well, I’m your extra arm,” Josh grinned. He tapped his long navy coat with a slightly proud expression. Under the innocuous face and seemingly normal coat, there were various instruments residing inside that were each designed and crafted by weapon artisans with superlative expertise on how to efficiently reap the lives of creatures that functioned based on pumping blood. Although Josh had initially joined their mafia network by accident (long story), he soon proved to be a master shooter and made an excellent bodyguard. As the head of the Columbus branch, Tyler grew fond of him pretty quickly.

“I don’t need an extra arm,” Tyler rolled his eyes, walking toward the café ahead. “I think two is enough.”

“Then in case you lose one or two, sir.” Oh, the way he talked back with his pretty little tongue. Tyler would have already planted a bullet in his head seven months ago had Josh not been an owner of considerable talent in what he did and…winsome features.

“If I lose any, you’ll lose your job and with a high chance, your head.”

“That’s exactly why I’m coming along, Mr. Joseph,” he grinned again and opened the glass door for him. With no words to counter the response, Tyler merely shot him a look, miffed, and entered the bustling coffee shop with pursed lips. He just wanted hot chocolate.

* * *

 

The two men walked out of the door but this time they both had take-out cups with them. Tyler held his with both hands, a small content smile on his lips as he studied the stream of steam flying upwards from his hot chocolate. On the contrary, Josh carelessly held his americano with one hand while the other rested inside his coat, eyes warily scanning every scope of their surroundings to spot any potential threat aimed at the man beside him clearly _suffering_ from safety frigidity. A literal war, though limited to the underground realm, was still waging on. Danger was crouching at every corner even at this second.

“As I said, you need to chill out a little. Nothing happened,” said Tyler, cautiously sipping on the drink as they crossed the road to their parked sedan.

“Even when it seems like nothing is happening, there is always something happening. It’s my duty to ensure that nothing happens to _you_ , sir,” Josh stated. He inched closer to his boss.

“Thanks, I’m just hoping there never arises an occasion where you walk in on me,” he dryly chuckled. Surprisingly, no witty comeback bounced back from the red-haired bodyguard. Rather, his expression stiffened and Tyler swore he could spot a tint of red suffusing on his face. What the hell did this mean?

Just when Tyler was about to comment on this odd reaction, a sudden change of atmosphere knock the breath out of him. A yellow spark soundlessly flashed across his retina. The next second, he was pressed flat against the car door by the brawny frame of his bodyguard. Tyler held his breath and stared wide-eyed at the sharp jawline of the man above him. Josh’s face was barely an inch above his, and Tyler could hear the controlled breaths escaping from the man’s silently gritted teeth. He was looking to his left toward the direction from which a single bullet had travelled. Only the hardened facial muscles straining right above his jaw hinted how much wrath and wariness he had in store. Wrath directed toward the person who had attempted to snipe Tyler.

“Stay behind me and get in the car.” It was basically an order. Tyler didn’t mind it, though. He slipped away from the firm grip of the protective figure without a word and carefully climbed in the backseat. His heart wasn’t racing, no, as this kind of situation wasn’t something worth panicking over. It wasn’t anything new. However, the fact that he had been stupidly inattentive and that Josh had dramatically saved his ass still stood. Tyler fiddled with the pistol in its holster while he watched Josh skillfully attach a silencer on his gun and fire several times at the darkness looming in the alley. In the meantime, he dialed his men for backup.

Getting no satisfying results, Josh rushed in the driver’s seat and started the car’s engine. From the rearview mirror Tyler could see the icy frown covering the man’s face. His breathing was jagged and his hand was in a hurry to drive them out of the scene. And that was when Tyler noticed—

“What the fuck, Josh! You’re shot!” Tyler leaned forward, surprised at his own voice which came out more frantic than intended.

“It’s just a graze,” Josh dismissed it. Blood was pouring out from a deep, ghastly wound engraved in his shoulder, dyeing the seat to a shade close to black. If this was a graze, it was some _serious_ graze.

Tyler turned pale. He wasn’t the type to turn pale. He was the type to murder men in cold blood, ruthlessly retrieve a thousand grands from traitors as well as their lives, and watch apathetically as he burned down buildings. Hell, he never really cared that much for his henchmen. So why was he feeling nauseous at the sight of Josh’s blood?

“We need to attend to it now,” he voiced, eyebrows furrowed from worry.

“We need to _get you to safety_ , Tyler,” Josh spoke patiently, focusing on the road ahead. He had just called him by his first name but that was out of both of their concern as of now. Tyler groaned in anguish and glared at the pained face reflected on the mirror’s surface.

“You were _hurt_. Protecting _me_.”

“It’s my damn _job_ , sir. I don’t care if I’m hurt as long as you’re not. I’m just an extra arm anyway,” Josh answered, sharply taking a right and checking the side-view mirror to see if anyone was following.

“Well _I_ fucking care. You’re not just any disposable component. You’re…,” Tyler halted mid-sentence, realizing what kind of irrational nonsense he was about to rant out. To make things worse, he was aghast to find out that a small bit of tears was making his vision cloudy.

“I’m…?” Fuck, Josh was sending a questioning smirk via the rearview mirror amidst the frenzy.

“N-nothing. Shut up and drive. As fast as you can,” Tyler hid his reddened face with the pistol in his hand and sat back. That goddamn son of a bitch. He was playing with his mind. Tyler had never been like this before.

Mourning at the loss of their drinks left to turn cold on the ground back in the alley, Tyler muttered curses under his breath that were directed toward no one and nothing in particular. Maybe it was to the anonymous sniper, himself, or Joshua Dun. Yeah, it was probably Joshua Dun.

 _‘I’ll treat his injury myself as soon as I get back,’_ he thought to himself.

_‘Stupid bastard.’_


	2. Extra?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tyler buys presents for Josh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The pacing is kinda weird and I might make changes later on when I'm more awake. It's 3:30 am.

A few days had passed since the climactic event had taken place outside the coffee shop. Upon returning from the site of near-death experience, Tyler had the entire block and three blocks beyond thoroughly inspected by his men but to no avail. The sly bastard was gone like an apparition as if there never had been anyone there in the first place. Urie in person was a man of light manners and drollery, but that was just the façade. He was cunning and astute, especially once he decided to point the end of his gun at a target he grew a considerable distaste for. Tyler was that individual in this case. They were never on good terms.

Like he had made up his mind, Tyler did the bandages for Josh that night. Consequently, he had to endure the series of cheeky comments Josh made all the while. This (literal) redhead really liked to test the limits. But then again, Tyler seldom felt any anger at the man like he did to anyone else who dared do the same. Rather, his face heated up at the sight of the curves of Josh’s muscles and the flashbacks to the exact moment the man had pulled him under his safety. Never in his life had Tyler Joseph ever imagined himself feeling this way toward another human being. That was why he was so bad at dealing with it.

Even now, he was crouching in front of the elevator leading to his underground office, unconsciously biting on his nail from stress. He had two cups of coffee stuffed in one box on the ground at his feet. There was also a newly purchased Rolex watch in his pocket, all packed in a small fancy box with silver initial J.D. inscribed on it. Tyler thought he might pass out from the anxiety filling up his stomach.

“Fuck, I’m _so_ overdoing it. I’m _so_ not being myself,” he repeated to himself over and over again. He had bought some ‘gifts’ for his bodyguard to thank him for his excellent service a few nights ago, but as he was not accustomed to the idea of ‘giving a present’ and also drawing the line between showing affection and expressing gratitude in a formal way, there he was stuck in a mental swamp.

“Tyler?” A quizzical voice rang out from behind him.

Tyler nearly jumped out of his skin. He failed to recover quickly and fell on his ass before grappling the wall to get to his feet.

Mark was standing awkwardly with documents in his arms, giving him such a peculiar gaze. Tyler bit the insides of his cheeks, blaming the heavens for letting him lose his dignity so easily in the presence of his old friend and consultant. He was grateful, though, that it wasn’t anyone else that spotted him balled up in front of the elevator like a lost cat.

“Mark,” he shakily ran his fingers through his hair.

“…Is there any problem?” His friend raised his eyebrow. He then gestured at the coffee box Tyler was poorly attempting to hide behind his back. “Caffeine trouble you much?”

“I’m perfectly fine, thank you,” Tyler huffed.

“Are you sure?” Mark approached him with a sympathetic expression. _Sympathetic_! That made him feel a hundred times more _pathetic_.

“Yes,” Tyler answered agitatedly, pressing the elevator button. “I know what I’m doing.”

“I never asked you if you knew what you were doing,” he pointed out, sounding rather amused. Tyler could find no words to counter that.

The elevator arrived, and Tyler slipped inside hastily, wishing Mark would stop prying at what was causing him mental frustration and calamity. The amber lights on the ceiling shed its luminance on him, and he felt somewhat more exposed due to its radiance. So he cowered back into the corner of the space where the shadow was lurking, effectively concealing the outline of the present box in his pocket and the take out box collectively in the darkness. However, it scarcely provided him any cover from Mark’s funny expression. He was staring at him the whole time.

“Got a date down there?” Mark, sadly, got straight to the point.

“What?” Tyler choked on his own spit. “I-I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Man, the head of Columbus’ largest gang is flustered over some girl—or is it a boy? I’m on your side either way.” Tyler hated how Mark was so certain about what he was saying despite him giving no confirmation whatsoever on his assumptions.

“Mark, I’ll have you blacklisted if you say one more word,” Tyler growled.

“Ooh, so scary.” His friend chuckled. “Come on. I’ll give you advice.”

“Shut up.” Tyler sighed, but to tell the truth, he was a tiny bit interested in what Mark would have to say in this matter. After all, strategic and ruthless as he was when it came to business, Tyler was no more experienced than an infant before these kinds of subjects.

What subject, though?

It wasn’t like he was going to propose or something, was it? Heck, Tyler was still trying to convince himself that he was not in the least ‘enamored’ by this audacious man in flaming red hair. What was he doing, getting confused by the purpose of these presents? They were in the middle of an invisible war, yet Tyler was having much more trouble winning the trivial fight going on within his own heart.

“Hello? Mr. Joseph? Mafia boss?” Mark’s clear voice woke him up from the internal turmoil and that was when he realized the elevator had come to a stop. Tyler jolted out of his comfort shadow zone and exited the box into the fancifully lit basement office floor a.k.a. his lair. There was a long hallway stretching out in front of them which ended with the white door that led him to his own room.

“Thanks,” Tyler muttered. He was refusing to meet Mark’s glance by studying his enamel shoes. He barely caught the sound of footsteps approaching them.

“Sir? Oh, thank god.”

Tyler’s eyes widened immediately. He knew that voice.

“I’ve been looking for you. Sir, you weren’t picking up the phone, the security team didn’t know where you were, and I couldn’t find you in your office.” Josh Dun grabbed both sides of his arms and stood so close to him that it petrified Tyler right on the spot. He could sense the air of suppressed mixture of panic and relief in his speech, his eyes and all. “I was _worried_.” Oh. _Was_ he?

Tyler was simply frozen like a deer found on a forest road. His mouth was slightly open but it felt as though it were devoid of a tongue.

“I advise you to say something back,” Mark whispered in his ear as he passed the two of them with a perceptive grin and disappeared into a room.

The moment got too uncomfortable with Tyler turning aphasic all of a sudden. Josh took a step back and cleared his throat. “I apologize for that, Mr. Joseph. I’m just glad you’re safe. You see, Urie’s—”

“Men are still after me, I know. You don’t have to repeat it. I’ve learned the lesson the hard way.” Tyler closed his eyes and nodded. He started heading for his office. He had figured Josh would be down here, considering his usual post was right in front of the white door. Tyler hadn’t imagined the man going about the entire building looking for him. His phone was on mute.

“Then where were you? Clearly you haven’t learned anything.” What was up with Dun, being such a mom?

“Just…just come inside.” Tyler swatted his hand in the air and went for the doorknob but Josh was faster. The guy gallantly opened the door for him and smiled at him. “Thanks,” he said. Technically, he had no reason to thank him. It was Josh’s job.

“Pleasure.”

Tyler set the coffee down on the tidy mahogany desk and heard the blood pounding wildly in his ears. The inevitable moment was now here. He would have to deliver his gifts to Josh without making any mistakes or breaking character. Tyler was supposed to be the toughest guy in town, not some naïve kid obsessing over girlish teenage love.

“I…,” Tyler started, mouth drying up, “have something for you.”

Josh crossed his arm and tilted his head. The gentle smile he was wearing really did nothing to help Tyler out of the jelly-like state of his mind.

“First, this.” He tapped the top of the take-out cups on the desk. “It’s for, you know, that particular night these were lost.”

“Ah, thank you, sir.”

“And one more thing,” Tyler hesitantly remarked.

“Hmm?”

“It-it’s uh,” Tyler fumbled for the box in his pocket and walked forward but was unfortunate enough to trip on the edge of the rug and make this one hell of an epic fall. He crashed down on the floor with a boisterous noise before Josh even had time to prevent him from embarrassing himself. He landed on his all fours while the box sprang out from his grasp and clattered on the marble ground, the lid opening in the process. It skidded its way down and touched the tip of Josh’s shoe, revealing the argent wristwatch neatly tucked inside along with the initials J.D. engraved on the inside of the box. Tyler wished the world suddenly turned dark or an earthquake hit them all. Anything to save him from this situation. This, this was the worst of the worst case scenarios. He didn’t even dare look up.

Nonetheless, Josh kindly helped him up although Tyler felt more like disappearing under his desk. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine!” Tyler squeaked, staggering.

The bodyguard held out the opened box in front of his eyes.

“I’m guessing this is for me, sir?” His eyes twinkled.

Boy, Tyler regretted his existence but nodded anyway. Then he tried to back away with a face as red as a cooked lobster but Josh’s hand shot out and grabbed his upper arm so he wouldn’t be able to shy away.

“May I ask what it’s for?” Josh asked after he had secured Tyler in his place.

Tyler’s glances were landing anywhere but Josh’s eyes. “It’s for…for…” His head was spinning, to be honest. His chest felt empty and full of palettes of colors at the same time.

“Can I make a guess?” The man suggested out of the blue. Tyler inquisitively met his eyes at last.

“A promotion.”

What?

A befuddled frown manifested on Tyler’s face.

“Because it means I’m not just an extra set of limbs for you anymore,” Josh leaned in. Almost too close and invasively. His voice was low and husky.

To his own surprise, Tyler didn’t move back. On the contrary, he found himself rather occupied with staring at those lips moving in an elegant fashion before his eyes.

“Then what are you?” He asked in a barely audible tone.

“I don’t know,” Josh’s face leaned in closer still. “Something more intimate, though. Would you like that, Tyler?”

 _Tyler_. Again.

“Y-yeah…I like intimate,” Tyler swallowed down an itchy sensation.

“I knew it.” Josh grinned.

Fuck, this game of playing boss and bodyguard was over.

No responsibilities, no duties to fulfill. No threats from outside forces, no wars to trouble their minds. They were simply two ordinary people eager to share heat with one another. Tyler wrapped his arms around Josh’s neck and the man dropped the box on the ground to pull the desperate body closer to him.

When their lips collided, Tyler couldn’t feel safer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mmmm tell me if you liked it or not.  
> It was fun writing dumb brunet Tyler lol  
> I would have added more plot but this was supposed to be a really short one shot so I hope a second chapter compensates for it.  
> Find me on Tumblr @blurry-frickin-fren  
> Thanks!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading.  
> Comments and kudos appreciated!


End file.
